Alumni Spotlight: Suzanne Yu, MHA ’06

Entering the medical field and contributing to societal change were always Suzanne Yu’s aspirations. By including the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development’s Master of Health Administration program in her path, she gained valuable skills and resources that have helped in her professional life and complemented her dedication to working for the public interest.

“I have always been interested in healthcare because I wanted my work to be meaningful at a population or system-level,” Yu said.

Through her work at Facey Medical Foundation, the administrative arm of Facey Medical Group, she is able to do just that on a daily basis. Providing medical services for more than 85 years, Facey is a multi-specialty medical group that works with major health plans.

Because Facey is a not-for-profit healthcare company, Yu noted that meeting the community’s needs is at the core of its mission. The organization is dedicated to providing innovative medical services to its patients in a caring and professional atmosphere. For Facey, this entails integrity, patient sensitivity, accountability and teamwork — qualities that Yu exhibits through her work.

As project manager of Facey Medical Foundation, Yu’s responsibilities include improving patient care, office workflow efficiency, and employee and provider satisfaction initiatives. By excelling in these areas, she personifies the organization’s goal of striving for constant improvements to patient care and the health system.

Playing an active role in enacting these positive changes is one of the highlights of Yu’s work. “One of the most rewarding times is during flu season when our organization hosts flu clinics for the community,” she said.

Over the past few years, Facey offered a drive-thru service where the team brings the flu shot to patients who prefer to stay in their vehicle. This year, Facey will hold flu clinics in two of its largest locations, Valencia and Mission Hills, to all community members, according to Yu.

Yu remarked, “It is a rewarding day for all who are involved because it allows us to get back down to basics — that we are in the business of serving and helping others stay healthy.”

In 2008, Facey administered more than 12,000 flu shots, a testament to the organization’s dedication to promoting a healthier world.

Yu attributes her current position at Facey to the opportunities provided by the Trojan Family and strong alumni network at USC.

“I have been fortunate to meet great leaders, mentors, and colleagues at USC, all of whom have helped me get to where I am today,” Yu said. “In fact, the last three positions I held were all through the Trojan network.”

On her experiences with the MHA program, she noted, “SPPD is focused on making the students the center of the program. Students are able to take evening and weekend courses, learn both theory and application to real world issues, and participate in mentorship programs, student and professional organizations and attend networking functions; all of which provide great learning opportunities.”

Indeed, during her time as a student, SPPD provided Yu with valuable tools that helped her achieve her professional aspirations.

“From an educational point of view, earning the MHA degree helped me gain a different perspective,” she remarked. “The adjunct professors, who are industry leaders, added valuable knowledge to this program and my career.”

Working in the medical field necessitates a keen understanding of how it functions in order to bring about effective change, an important objective for Yu. Her genuine dedication to this work, coupled with her steadfast personal determination makes her an invaluable contributor to Facey and the healthcare profession as a whole.

Currently, she is pursing the Project Management (PMI) certification, an achievement that further solidifies her already steadfast commitment to the medical field and those whom she helps every day.